7′2″ Thunder Star's Preseason Debut Has Fans Sending Warning to Victor Wembanyama

Victor Wembanyama is the tallest active NBA player today. He stands at 7'4" and has fully capitalized on his size advantage. What makes the towering Frenchman special is that he's well-rounded as a player. Not only can he dominate the paint as a center, but he can also play like a guard with his ball-handling abilities and outside shooting.

However, it appears Wembanyama may have already found a potential matchup nightmare of his own.

In the OKC Thunder's preseason opener against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday, rookie Aday Mara made his NBA debut and immediately showed why there is plenty to be excited about heading into the 2026-27 regular season.

At 7'2", Mara has the size to at least make the Wembanyama matchup interesting. And after watching his preseason debut, fans on social media wasted little time throwing the rookie into the conversation.

Fans Already See Aday Mara as Wembanyama's Potential Match

Mara's performance was enough to convince some fans that the Thunder may have found their own version of Wembanyama.

"ADAY MARA GIMME DAT WE GOT OUR OWN WEMBY OMG," @wokdior wrote on X.

Others took the comparison a step further, already labeling the 7'2" rookie as the long-awaited "Wemby stopper."

"Wemby stoperrrrrr," @InvestifEye wrote on X.

"Look at the Wemby stopper here," @criticonordest wrote on X.

And then came perhaps the boldest prediction of them all, with one fan claiming Mara could actually surpass Wembanyama within the next two seasons.

"Aday Mara gonna be better than Wemby in 2 years. Bookmark this," @jadenfelix34 wrote on X.

Of course, it is far too early to determine whether Mara can genuinely challenge Wembanyama. One preseason game is hardly enough to make that kind of projection. Still, the hype isn't entirely without merit.

Mara was the No. 12 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, making him one of the first players selected outside the lottery's top 10. More importantly, he enters the league with an impressive résumé from his college career.

During the 2025-26 season, Mara was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and helped the Michigan Wolverines win the NCAA National Championship. His elite rim protection was a major part of Michigan's success, giving the Thunder a 7'2" big man who can already make an impact defensively.

That combination of size and defensive instincts could give Mara the tools to eventually make life difficult for Wembanyama. Whether he can actually become better than the Spurs star, however, is a completely different question.

For now, the fans are simply enjoying the possibility that the NBA may have another towering big man capable of giving Wembanyama a challenge.

Aday Mara's Perfect Performance Falls Short to Help Thunder Beat Pelicans

OKC Thunder rookie Aday Mara had a perfect preseason debut against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday. He nearly notched a double-double with 12 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and three blocks, while shooting perfectly from the field and the free-throw line.

Unfortunately for him, Mara's efforts didn't result in a victory for the Thunder. The Pelicans managed to beat the Thunder 116-110. Leading the charge for New Orleans was Bennedict Mathurin, who put up 13 points, five assists, and two rebounds.

To be fair to OKC, none of the team's core players, aside from Jared McCain, played on Tuesday. Unlike New Orleans, which had Trey Murphy III, Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray, and Jordan Poole by their side.

Having that in mind, it was a good practice session for the Thunder's bench players. Only losing by six points indicates that the bench has what it takes to keep up with the team's main players. At least OKC's core players can rely on their backup.

This is especially true for Mara. Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein will obviously remain the Thunder's primary bigs. However, with Mara in the mix, OKC has unlocked more possibilities to tighten up their defense inside the paint.